Let's open our Bibles to Romans 9;24-29.

In fulfillment of His word, God in mercy is calling to Himself a people from the Jews and the Gentiles.

Salvation is from God's great mercy and His sovereign, effectual call, not from anything in us
The entire book of Romans to this point, but especially chapters 8 and 9, emphasizes that God, not man, is the primary force behind salvation
General call - it goes out to all, but it is not effectual
Effectual call - it always accomplishes God's purpose of giving life to the spiritually dead so that they respond willingly to the call
Salvation brings us into a personal relationship with the living God
Hosea and Gomer's children
Jezreel - It can mean "God will scatter" - God would scatter the northern kingdom of Israel
Lo-ruhamah - God would have no compassion on Israel
Lo-ammi - they were not his people and he was not their God
God changes the children's names
Jezreel - it can mean "God will sow" - God will sow the land again with people
Ruhamah - compassion
Ammi - my people
Salvation extends to people from every type of background
A pagan background does not exclude you from God's mercy (vs. 25-26)
A religious background does not automatically include you in God's mercy (vs. 27-29)
Salvation delivers us from God's inescapable, thorough judgment
When God's judgment comes, none will escape except the vessels of mercy (the remnant)
You must respond to God's call of mercy by repenting of your sins
Salvation brings us into the racially diverse spiritual family of God's people
There will be no racism in heaven - it will be multi-racial and multi-cultural
There is no place for racism in the church today